Haley Stevens: “The only question to the Senator is that I would respectfully ask if he understands that we are willing to take the…”

“The only question to the Senator is that I would respectfully ask if he understands that we are willing to take the amendment as the Senator has drafted it because it seeks a change in policy and it is a sense-of-the-Senate resolution. We are seeking that change in policy. Again, parenthetically, I believe the time may come when we have wars or postwar engagements of such magnitude that we should find a new way to budget contrary to past procedures. But, again, I urge the Senator from Maryland to understand that history goes against the policy he has suggested. I hope the Senator from West Virginia understands my feeling in terms of the way we are handling things now. Does the Senator realize there is $32 billion left from what we provided in the supplemental for the war in Iraq? It is no-year money. It is not money that would cease to be available after September 30. We gave the President $62.6 billion, and it was no-year money. It did not have to be spent by the end of September. We have, in fact, appropriated money which, if this afterwar resistance--whatever it is--diminishes, should be enough money. We should not have to have another request. That is the position this Senator takes. Does the Senator understand my position on that?”